"In recent decades, India has significantly improved
the well-being of its people. Since the 1970s, India's economic growth rate has risen,
poverty has declined and social indicators have improved. The average life expectancy at
birth has increased from 49 years to the current 63 years. The total fertility rate for
India's populationwhich exceeds 1 billion peoplehas been lowered from six
children per woman to three since the 1960s. Similarly, since 1950, there was a dramatic
reduction in infant mortality from 146 to the current average of 69 per 1,000 live
births." India,
country brief, World Bank